Aye Write! begins on Thursday, March 14 and will run until Sunday, March 31 across 3 long weekends. Wee Write! Glasgow’s Book Festival for Children and Young People also returns with a huge programme for schools and a family day on Saturday, March 2.
Among the authors appearing at Aye Write! are Gina Miller, Simon Mayo, Lionel Shriver, Jonathan Freedland writing as Sam Bourne, Louise Minchin, Val McDermid, Alexander McCall Smith, Tracey Thorn, Chris Mullin and Helena Kennedy. There’s a welcome return for the Fun Lovin’ Crimewriters, Sir Tom Devine, Liz Lochhead, Alex Gray and Ann Cleeves.
Aye Write! will mark Brexit day on March 29 with a session on what comes next for the UK and the relationship with the EU. 2019 also features several books about the challenges women still face in society and Donald Trump’s America comes under scrutiny.
Tickets are now on sale and more information and the full programme are available at www.ayewrite.com
More than 250 authors will be taking part in over 180 events making Aye Write! 2019 the biggest yet.
Tickets for the Wee Write! Family which features, among others, Frank Cottrell Boyce, Sophie Henn, Ross Collins and Karin Polwart among others are also on sale on Thursday. The full programme is available at www.weewrite.co.uk
Bob McDevitt, Aye Write! programmer, said: “Given the unprecedented times we live in, it’s hardly a surprise that there was a huge amount of very serious writing to choose from this year. But, alongside the politics and current affairs, the Aye Write! programme has some antidotes to the great questions of our age courtesy of a wide range of comedians, musicians, sportspeople, poets, chefs, gardeners and even an examination of the DNA of one of our best known crime writers.
“It’s a great mix, which sees the return of some of our best loved authors and characters coupled with the new, the fascinating and the revelatory.”
Councillor David McDonald, Glasgow City Council depute leader and Glasgow Life chair, said: “Aye Write’s return will bring its signature mix of fascinating, funny, fearless, exciting and unusual writers and conversation to Glasgow in March.
“Firmly based at the Mitchell Library and Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, March is set to be a huge celebration of writing, literature and the love of a good book. As well as the hot topics of the day look out for some award winning literary stars and great debut writers appearing on the same bill at Aye Write! and Wee Write! I’m looking forward to seeing you.”
Among the subjects covered are Brexit, true crime, crime fiction, lifestyle, music, memoir, biography, cooking, cleaning, sport, poetry, gaelic and history. The Books that Made Me, Aye Tunes! and Aye Write! Introduces all return.
Also featuring at Aye Write! are Dame Sue Black, Johnny Ball 40 years after first writing Think of a Number, Neil Oliver, Frank Quitely, Mark Austin, Costa prize winner J.O. Morgan, Melanie Reid, Janey Godley and many many more.
Aye Write! and Wee Write! are again running a community ticketing scheme which will allow people who couldn’t otherwise get a ticket to attend. The Wee Write! Reading and Literacy Fund is also raising money to support projects to help young people get involved in reading and writing.
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